CALM Design School is an innovative programme for next generation leaders aimed at boosting productivity and effectiveness in the workplace and equipping workers the tools they need to thrive, in response to artificial intelligence gathering pace.
Multi-millionaire Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter and chief executive of car company Tesla, was one of the key figures in AI who recently contributed to an open letter warning of potential risks saying that the race to develop AI systems is out of control.
Whilst we need to embrace change we also need to be aware of the moral, social and behavioural problems that AI can cause. There is no doubting that AI is the future, however we need to consider the long-term implications and efficiency over effectiveness. For example, the introduction of tech may initially triple profit but what are the people implications? We’re all now very familiar with ChatBots but, over time, they have become more sophisticated with the increase in fraudulent phone calls and scams.
There are some scary statistics out there about AI and the extinction of the human race, but progressive organisations will always value people. However what we will need from people will change. CALM Design School gives people new tools and techniques to improve connection, mindset, energy and motivation which is what will really matter in the workplace of the future.
We’ve recently been working with Derby Junior Lawyers to help them think about innovating more effective ways of working across the legal sector. It comes after The Law Society recently revealed that junior lawyers have reported lower levels of happiness than experienced lawyers, and are less likely to find their work meaningful than other groups.
We worked with the Derby Junior Lawyers to help them find solutions that can drive positive culture change across the legal sector, finding a greater balance within an industry that is often associated with long hours and increasing workloads. The way that lawyers work leaves them at high risk of burnout due to the ways of working, some leadership behaviour and workplace culture. We encouraged delegates to support a healthy balanced working environment that is more accepting of mistakes, and to drive positive culture change across workplaces to find greater balance.
John Ellis, of Alexander & Co Solicitors, said: “The workshops have been genuinely insightful and thoroughly enjoyable. They have made us all think hard about how we can act to improve the legal sector in the future and point out where other people might need or want to set a boundary when they seem overloaded.”
Amelia Sutcliffe, meanwhile, works for Smith Partnership. She said: “I’m realising the power of being vulnerable with other people and I’m less afraid of the possible consequences. I’ve started saying at work that I don’t have capacity and setting that boundary if I need to.”
Andrew Storer, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Nuclear AMRC, says that they’re involved with CALMFest to help create more conversations within the industry, to support mental fitness and harness energy.
He said: “The workplace is changing and it’s now even more important to support people to better navigate the challenges and opportunities of the post-covid world. We need to retain a healthy workforce and attract people to the sector, so it’s important to ensure the best environment we can
for the welfare of our staff.
“We understand this, and that’s why we’re proud to be involved with CALMFest. Spiritual and emotional health, plus mental health, is just as important as physical health.”
Financial education specialist Matt Cullen will deliver a session on managing your money, Jamie Quince Starkey – founder of the Down to Earth project – will talk about the power of reconnecting people with nature and there’ll be a series of CALM mini masterclasses to take a dive into what the CALM model is about and unlock it’s toolkit for culture and mindset change.
Our CALM philosophy is to do well, you need to be well; energy is our most precious resource, and we need to choose when to be more effective rather than just efficient.
Anxiety is one of the most common mental health problems we can face and focusing on anxiety for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week will increase people’s awareness and understanding of an emotion that is perfectly normal, but can get out of control and become a mental health
problem.
Six in 10 adults feel anxious, at least some of the time, but it can be made easier to manage with the right tools. Making sure that improving mental health is a key priority for the government and society as a whole is critical for the future.
CALMFest promises to have something for everyone, including tools on managing anxiety, with a great mix of innovative, forward-thinking companies taking part and those attending CALMFest will become armed with the tools to feel more equipped to find work/life brilliance.
It will be fun, informative and also a fundraiser for Mind with the option to make a voluntary donation to the charity when they attend a session. Sessions will also be recorded meaning that they’ll be available for delegates to watch at their own leisure, up to seven days after the event.
Bookings for this year’s CALMfest are now closed but keep your eye on the CALM hub for details of our free monthly online events and upcoming community activity. You can sign up for regular updates via the link.
